Infinite MonkeysI finally got Direct TV to my house to install the system (scheduled: between 8am-12noon; actual artrival: 2:00 pm).
The bastards had previously unilaterally canceled my installation without telling me because the HD DVR was not available.
So it's installed.
But I can't get the DVR to record. I e-mail Direct TV and ask what-up? They say I cannot use the DVR because I didn't subscribe to the service.
No, I explain patiently, I am looking at the order, and my online account, and confirming e-mail, and they all say I subscribed to the DVR service. So try again.
Thanks for writing us back about your DIRECTV equipment. I'm so sorry to hear about the problem and for any confusion and inconvenience this matter may have caused you. I found on your account that as of now you have a regular HD H20 equipment and is not capable of recording like the DVR. However, I found that you also had an HD DVR order but is not active yet. I just wanted to let you know that I have forwarded your email to a specialist who will contact you within the next few days to help you on this matter.
Seems clear, right? Well, no. I write back:
I am confused. I still have the box that the receiver came in when it was installed. The box is a DIRECTV Plus HD DVR. I also have the manual and quick start quide for the HD DVR. You're telling me it is not a DVR?
Obviously, I must be stoopid, right? I mean honestly, just because it says it's a DVR on the box, what the hell does that mean? Nothing, obviously:
Thanks for writing us back. I apologize for any confusion this issue has caused. Upon review of your account, I found that there is no DVR nor a DVR service on your account. We have not charged for any DVR service for $5.99. Currently, you have the HD receiver and it is not a DVR and does not have a recording feature. Our HD DVR is not yet available right now. These new receivers have been more popular than we expected them to be and, unfortunately, we don’t have enough to meet the demand. Due to the unprecedented demand we have created a waiting list for the HD DVR at directv.com/hddvr, just click on “Priority Registration” for more details and you can put yourself on the list to get the first chance to see the future of television.
You see, I don't think they're reading my e-mail . They are insisting that what I am looking at in my living room does not exist. So I ask:
I understand that I am being told that I do not have a DVR receiver. If that is true, then I am curious as to why
1. The box the receiver came in says it is DIRECTV Plus HD DVR
2. The quick start guide that came with the receiver is for an HD DVR
3. The owner's manual is for an HD DVR
4. The remote control is for a DVR
4. The receiver itself is labeled DirecTV + HD DVR. (It says it is a DVR)
You see why I am confused? And why I am just beginning to hate Direct TV? Can someone explain to me how something that walks like a duck, talks like a duck, quacks like a duck and has a sign plastered on its butt that says I AM A DUCK is not a duck?
Direct TV does indeed suck. My experiences with them are similar to your own (sans the DVR thing). They've screwed up the PPV feature on mine as well as the fact that I routinely have channels disappear and have to reboot the entire system and reprogram my favorites list in order to view them again.
*sigh*
I wish I had the option of cable TV where I live. (And I NEVER thought I'd live to say something like that!)
Posted by: reverse_vampyr at November 22, 2006 10:42 AMWe have the new HD DVR from Direct TV. So far, we have had an interrupted signal with NBC, programs that we have recorded do not play (even though they show up on the List as having been recorded), we lost ABC for about 14 hours, and now we have two movies ordered in October 2005 that just showed up on our bill. Called Direct TV tonight and the first woman told me that Crash and the other movie were offered in October 2006. We have not ordered any movies since October 2005! After insisting we did not order these and have already paid for them in November 2005, I get transferred to another person. This man speaks one sentence during 20 minutes "I am back tracking through your bills". After about 20 minutes, the phone connection goes dead. What the hell kind of service is this?? I call back and insist on speaking to a supervisor and am told that they are all tied up taking other calls and I will get a call back. Yeah right. Never had a problem in six years until now, after having received this new HD DVR.
Posted by: Shane at November 27, 2006 07:00 PMI am SO glad I got the TiVo version of their HD DVR before they discontinued it. Why they thought they could build a comparable model on their own, I'll never know.
Posted by: Monkey RobbL at November 27, 2006 07:47 PMWhen I first got DirecTV it was the best customer service experience I had ever had. Smart, friendly phone support, great equipment (especially the Tivo) and no problems at all. I think it all started to change around 2004 (don't know why) and has been all downhill since. Next time I move, I'm switching to cable.
Posted by: Monkey David at November 27, 2006 07:58 PMOrdered an HD upgrade from Direct. Delivery of new tv was scheduled for day after tech arrived to do HD upgrade. Tech said he couldn't do upgrade without new TV (old set still hooked up). I disputed this, but he insisted, so we rescheduled. Next available time one month out. Called DTV 800 number and they bumped me up to a few days wait. No one showed. Was again told I'd have to wait one month. Called the DTV 800 number again just for fun and got set up for an upgrade a few days out. Local office said no - original 1 month still stands. Who's on first? We are long term customers, BTW.
Local cable still has poor image quality. What to do?
"started to change around 2004 (don't know why)"
Change of ownership is a possibility. December 2003, the parent company was sold to News Corp.
Posted by: Monkey RobbL at November 30, 2006 07:36 AMAfter dealing with "dish" for eighteen months, talk about incompetence, we switched to "direct".
Much more satisfied. So far.
12/01/06; Today all as I get is satalite searching. I called 3 times and after 3 tries with a rep and a sup, I can get a service man out to fix it 12/13/06. I am suppoist to wait for 13 days without TV. I gave their recording unexceptable, extramily poor and I couldn't say the rest an ask for the customer service main #, they don't have one you have to write.
Posted by: Jack at December 1, 2006 05:23 PMI am extremely dissatisfied with Direct TV. The system shuts down to re-boot on a regular basis more often than not at a critical point in a program that I am watching. I am not stealing programming but cannot get anyone’s attention at Direct TV that will admit that there is a problem here. I do not watch HBO, Cinemax or any other movie channel, they suck! I cannot wait for the HD antennas to come out. DIRECT TV managers need to go back to the basics, fire the kids and start running the company as a service. The customer pays the bills, not the over-paid officers and managers.
Posted by: frank nyako at December 3, 2006 04:44 PMThis is probably the worst company I've ever dealt with. Customer service are a group of losers that could not possibly care less about their customers. They are apparently trained to ignore any need of their customers.
Posted by: Ivan Beck at December 5, 2006 06:57 AM